Goizueta Business Library
Information Guides Goizueta Business Library Information Guides

1. Use international sources for comparable data.

2. check your country's statistical office for the most recent census information.

3. Use specialized sources for cultural information and drill down in your country's resources for more specific information.

International Marketing - The People

The people - the consumers of your product - are another important component of your research. This page provides links to sources of demographic and cultural and lifestyle information.

Demographics

National level general demographic information is generally the easiest information to find. Most countries conduct censuses and that information may appear in a U.N., World Bank, or local publication or on country websites. What is much more difficult to find is demographic data at the regional, city or postal code level or the specific detail needed to target marketing.

Consumer Lifestyles and Consumer Market Size from Global Market Information Database,

NOTE: Select the Consumers tab and and then select Consumer Lifestyles Reports

Data in World Development Indicators

Census data from National Statistical agencies.

Culture and Lifestyle

One of the most difficult areas to find consistent, detailed international information.  This information will come from country reports, books, articles and data sources plus a variety of local ministry or embassy websites.

General information and data are available from the following sources:

CultureGrams
Four page reports highlighting society, culture and lifestyle. In Emory in print only in Bus Ref GT1 C85. Check out a sample page on their website, click on View Video at bottom of the page.

Europe and Culture 
Links to Ministries of Culture for EU member states, candidate countries and European Economic Area countries.

Global Market Information Database 
Hundreds of tables that cover educational, health, and consumer buying patterns information. 

Intercultural Press
Check EUCLID for titles Emory owns or go to the Press's websites for additional titles and links.

Doing Business Internationally: the Guide to Cross-Cultural Success, 2003. In print.

Education and literacy

UNESCO 
Has a theme devoted to cultures; also maintains an education and literacy database and also has data on Culture and Communications and Science and Technology from 1999 Statistical Yearbook.

Religion

U.S. Census Bureau IDB 
Table 058, Population by country by religion; also tables on ethnicity and language (HTML or spreadsheet compatible).

International Religious Freedom from the U.S. State Department; 1998 International Religious Freedom Act mandated this Annual Report.

Culture and Business

Search EUCLID for the term "business etiquette" or for additional books on "intercultural communication and business or marketing".

Getting Through Customs
Includes articles on correct cultural business practices such as appropriate gifts, dressing, and greetings.

Demographic and Cultural Information in Print and/or PDF on the Web

Use the various regional United Nations Organizations for specific publications.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) - most items for sale only.

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Demographic Databases with interactive database - characteristics by country from 1982 and projections through 2050.

Trends in Europe and North America, including chapters on Education, Communication, Transport, Employment, etc.
Register for Excel datasets; check EUCLID for the book.

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Publications in print only; Library holdings

Eurostat
Statistical releases and access to PDF publications; limited formatted data. Select the theme "Population and Social Conditions". Sample titles include:

Social Situation in the European Union(PDF); available online and in print

Consumers in Europe  (PDF)
Part of the Panorama in EU Business series which includes other demographic publications. Also in print.

Regions: Statistical Yearbook (PDF)
Part of the Panorama in EU Business series which includes other demographic publications.

Supporting Databases

Factiva
Use Factiva to search for specific concepts. For example, to look for articles about the income distribution of Brazilians, search: income distribution and brazil* and change the date range. Information Partner.

Nexis.com
Use Nexis to search for specific concepts. For example, to find articles about American food or restaurants in Brazil

Use the multidisciplinary article databases, Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) and Research Library (Proquest) through Galileo.

Use the specialized academic database Sociological Abstracts, which includes citations and abstracts from over 2000 journals, plus relevant dissertation listings, abstracts of conference papers, and selected books in sociology and related disciplines.

Finding Aids

http://business.library.emory.edu